Settler leader: Obama, keep your hands off Israel
Thousands of Likud activists gather in northern West Bank to voice support for continued construction.
By Chaim Levinson Tags: Likud Israel news settlement building West BankSome 3,000 members of Likud, as well as thousands of right-wing supporters gathered on Wednesday in the Samaria National Park in the northern West Bank, to voice their support for further construction in the settlements.
Samaria Regional Council leader Gershon Mesika, sent a direct message to the U.S. President Barack Obama in his address to the demonstration:
"Keep your hands off of Israel," he said. "It is outside of your jurisdiction. Netanyahu should stand rock solid to protect his country."
Meanwhile, right-wing MK Danny Danon also passed on a message to Obama in a live interview on CNN and said Israel has no partner for peace, adding that U.S. pressure is causing problems for the Jewish people.
Danon also said, that despite Obama's charisma this is not "Hollywood."
More than 70 buses stood outside the park as thousands of settlement supporters congregated in the park's amphitheater to listen to the right-wind speeches in a demonstration headed by Danon.
"We need to remember that our hold on Jerusalem starts here," said Likud MK Tzipi Hatovely, who came to the demonstration with her entire family.
"We will demand that the prime minister continue to build in the West Bank," she added.
Among the top Likud members in attendance were rightist Moshe Feiglin and Minister Yuli Edelstein, who both said that they hoped the talks on a settlement freeze would finally end.
Wednesday was one of the only days during the year that visitors were permitted into the national park due to security problems.
The park roads are neglected and littered and the surrounding boasts several illegal construction sites.
Some 20 minutes from the Shomron park, in the settlement Revava, MK Danon organized another rally for non-Israeli supporters.
"We don't know what the government's policy on the settlement freeze is," Danon told the participants. "It's obvious that if the policy changes there will be 5,000 people standing here instead of 1,000."
A Likud activist now residing in Istanbul, who asked not to be named, told Haaretz that he was very proud of his country: "There are brave people here who don't mind living with the Arabs. They're not afraid of anything," he said.
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I wonder how long America will keep sending Israel $5 billion per year, if it has no say in Israel?
I agree! The U.S. should keep its hands off Israel! Also its money! No more military or any other kind of aid until Israel meets its international obligations! Blind support of Israeli policies against its neighbors has led the U.S. into a great deal more trouble that it's worth. Of course, Israeli policies haven't done any good for that country either. Big, big changes are in order, all around.
OBAMA IS A MUSLIM
You're the one that's been away Seems you're as delusional as per usual
Julie -so Obama is responsible for our current situation (jobs etc going to China and Mexico?). Wow! What a stretch.
People like Ms. Cornell probably shop exclusively at Wal-Mart, then complain that American jobs were "sent" overseas. You sent those jobs away with your insatiable need for cheap foreign crap, Julie, and if you don't like living in the greatest nation on Earth with a president who is civil and intelligent, well I hear Iran is a nice place for nutjobs who don't like Obama. It would also show you just how stupid your comment about third world countries is. Nobody likes sore losers or crybabies. Try to get that through your thick, thick head.
The most American president in a long time . If Israel does not like him , he must be good for America . Irony , not even a month after 9/11 plus 4000 + AMERICAN lives in Iraq . There is no free ride to greatness , find your own colonies , win your own wars , thats the only way .
The more these people talk, the more people are getting sick of the situation and the more I am inclined to say take a firm stand in order to stop the settlements.
Obama is anti-israel anti-USA as well, and he is trying and succeding in turning the USA into a third world country. We have no jobs. They have been given to China, India, and Mexico. The people of the USA have been reduced to begging. USA does not need a nut named Obama.
It's amusing to listen to the settler's and their right wing supporters telling the U.S. to back off regarding pressure for a settlement freeze. These people are violators of Internationa law and binding UNSC resolutions. President Obama needs to develop a spine and stand up to them and unequivocally tell Netenyahu that if the settlements don't freeze immediately all U.S. aid will be terminated. Plain and simple, no exceptions.
Hands off???? Perhaps we can keep the billions we send Israel!
It's outrageous that these dangerous extremists are allowed to speak out like that. In a civilized society they would be in jail.
Hands of Isreal HA only Isreal believes post 1967 land to be Isreal. Hands of Palestinian land.
If you're on the wrong side of the green line, you're not in Israel.
There are crazies in the US as well as Israel; most hope that those of reason will prevail and marginalize wingnuts so that peace can come to both people. There is little hope if any wingnuts call the shots. Hope you and like minded people hold that election for a vote. Yep, we've got wingnuts over here too, some calling for secession!!! That's novel.
in your gas guzzling, now antique Hummer, and hustle down to see Michael Moore's film,"Capitalism"!!! He uncovers rather ugly facts involving well known folks re the collapsed US economy; lotsa folks are talking about the movie, and given our troubles in Iraq & Afghanistan/Pakistan, it is problematic that you and yours loudly bang your war drum for the US to attack Iran (still in Iraq; Goldstone wart); there is simply no stomach for BS by Americans. As they come to believe this BS can be solved equitably, they won't have patience with folks such as yourself saying, stick it, while clenching US tax dollars. Without the US, Israel will wither. BTW, you store everything so note aaaaallllll the names of folks Moore interviews pointing out, well, let's just say, rather eye brow raising facts. Nobody votes to bomb Iran.Penalties attach to those who cry wolf falsely & IraqII not acceptable (same crew yelling). Obama has put the problem before the world.That's where it belongs
As long as Israel is accepting Welfare checks from the US taxpayer, everything in Israel is within our jurisdiction. If you want to be independent, then try standing on your own two feet and live without the US taxpayer's largess.
to back up your claim, or is that a matter of personal conjecture?? RSVP
.... and your money,and your protection
These right wing fanatics are a lawless minority who seem to think they are above international law. The majority of Israelis are peace seeking people . If there was a referendum tommorow the Israeli people would vote to end the illegal occupation of the west bank.
My advise to Mr. Masika is: Keep your hands off what will ultimately be Palestinian territory. We don't need it, we don't want it, we won't keep it. President Obama does not need your counsel for protecting American interests; your counsel for Israel's leaders is misconceived and will only work against Israel's strategic interests.
Israel is getting what it deserves. Now the settlers are in charge. Think about that for a moment and you will realize that Israel is finished.
"Israel is outside of your jurisdiction"? Well, Israel has never extended sovereignty to the West Bank, so it looks like it is outside of Israel's jurisdiction too.
You are a plague on the people of Israel and a distorter of Judaism. We hope that some day you will be normal.
Gershon Mesika is right. Israel is outside the jurisdiction of the USA. Obama should immediately cease all aid to Israel. Not one penny more, no money, no intelligence sharing, no weapons, no support in the UN, nothing until Israel agrees to end all settlements and pulls back to the pre-1967 borders. Stop supporting Israel's Lebensraum policies, Mr. Obama. No co-operation with the government of Israel until it stops it's criminal occupation and war on the civilian populations of the Palestinians.
Keep stealing people's land in the face of the international community's objection and keep saying Israel has no peace partner. Less and less people are supportive of Israel and its criminal policies. You reap what you sew.